


Disease

by Quixotic_Pixie



Series: The Talon-likes-to-Brainwash AU [2]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Brainwashing, Defection, Desperation, Dystopia, Forgiveness, Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, Past Brainwashing, Shooting, Stupidity, Temporary Chickification
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-03
Updated: 2016-06-03
Packaged: 2018-07-11 22:46:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7073584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quixotic_Pixie/pseuds/Quixotic_Pixie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Overwatch underestimated Talon. Talon's been pulling the strings of society for years, using their favourite tactic - a good old brainwash.</p><p>Overwatch knew about Widowmaker, but what about everyone else? Gabriel and Amelie break Talon's hold to enter a world that is nothing like how they left it.</p><p>(Please read the notes :) )</p>
            </blockquote>





	Disease

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! My first Overwatch fic. Everyone is horrendously out of character and I can't put that all down to the AU. I just suck, sorry. There may be more of this, but for now pretend it's a one shot.

They'd managed to find a sort of shelter, though it wouldn't do for long. Raindrops fell through the dilapidated roof and onto them as they sat huddled on the dirty floor, and he pulled her closer glad that at least she didn't seem to notice the cold. He was at a loss for the first time in years. He found himself on the run with enemies on both side, and his only ally was the broken girl clinging desperately to him as she cried for the first time since she was kidnapped by Talon all those years ago.

His only hope was that their pursuers wouldn't check here. He wouldn't have any notice before they were attacked if they were found, and he wasn't sure even his trusty shotguns would get them both out of this. The girl's rifle was on the floor next to them, but it wouldn't be of any use if she wouldn't use it.

Fatigue weighed down on him - not even his unique affliction could help him with that - but he couldn't fall asleep and leave them both more vulnerable. She looked up at him, yellow eyes wide and the whites red from crying.

"Gabriel," she said, quietly and scared. "What are we going to do?"

He looked away, staring intently at the grey wall. He wasn't good at false promises. Rallying speeches had never been his forte - that was Jack's talent; Gabriel was the realist. He almost wished Jack was there in that moment, but that would have been a guaranteed death sentence for almost everyone involved.

They couldn't go this alone. They needed help, but from where? Everyone either of them had met in the last six years was aligned to Talon - whether knowingly or not - or dead, and before that... the only person he knew wouldn't kill them on sight was Mercy. The ever-present pain from his cells dying and regenerating reminded him of the last time he saw her, and he hated what she'd done to him. Even knowing she'd done it because she cared didn't help.

He looked down at Amelie. Gabriel had to look after her too, she wouldn't last two seconds in a fight in this state, with the consequences of her actions over the last six years as Talon's assassin weighing down on her conscience - now free of their control, the conscience of a girl who should have been innocent of this life.

He pulled his phone out. It was Talon issue, and if he turned it on they'd know where the two of them were immediately, but he didn't have an alternative. This would endanger both of them and Mercy, whether or not they had enough luck left for her to be close. Amelie flinched, knowing as well as he did what would happen. He tried to smile.

"We're going to make a call and hope for divine intervention, sweetheart." He hesitated, knowing his next few words were going to make everything worse. "Pick your rifle up, we're going to have uninvited guests."

\- - -

She was broken out of sleep by the insistent ringing of her phone, immediately alert. She was sure she'd meant to put it on silent just for the night - not her decision; Winston's orders - but there the noise was. Evidently she'd been too tired to remember when she finally fell into bed.

She leant out of bed, grasping at the floor for her phone. Finally grabbing it, reading the caller ID made her almost drop her phone in shock. She cursed as the ringing stopped before she could accept the call, as the phone buzzed again. She opened the text.  
It was a map and a single word, "miserichordia" - the old emergency word.

The map location wasn't far from where she was. The current Overwatch team hadn't moved on yet after Winston and Tracer had stopped the Doomfist gauntlet from being stolen, and evidently neither had Reaper. Knowing she was being stupid she shot out of bed, grabbing her valkyrie suit as she ran out of the door dialling Overwatch HQ and hoping someone was awake before leaving it on speaker to get her suit on.

"Angela?" Tracer's voice came from the speaker on her phone accompanied by a yawn. "Didn't Winston tell you to get some sleep?"

"I was. Tracer..." she didn't stop dressing but her voice trailed off. "I never told anyone, but Gabriel isn't dead". She winced. This wasn't a good way to bring this up, but it had to be explained. She wasn't going to get anyone else involved in what could be a suicide mission without knowing what was going on.

"Reyes?" Tracer asked, shocked. "Angie luv, why are you bringing this up now?"

"He needs help. Only... Gabriel is Reaper," she said. Grabbing her phone and rushing out of the door.

"Angie, you're not..." Tracer sighed. "You are. Tell me where, cavalry's on its way."

\- - -

Amelie hadn't stopped shaking, holding the rifle and staring at it like it would go off in her hands. Gabriel softly touched her shoulder.

"I know you don't want to do this, but we need you to. I'm not going to lie, we could die tonight - whether that's being shot or captured and brainwashed again. I know you can do this even if you'd rather forget," he said, taking his gaze off her and back to the door in front of him, other hand on one of his shotguns. 

The window to his left shattered at the same time the door was forced open and Gabriel immediately moved in front of Amelie to shield her and pulled out both shotguns, ignoring the noise she was making behind him as she panicked. He saw two small teams of Talon operatives and immediately started shooting. The sight of how few people they'd sent should have been comforting, but it made him more nervous. Talon was aware this few would be enough for whatever they had planned for two of their best. Something else was coming. Bodies fell left and centre, his guns clicked empty and he dropped them grabbing two more without hesitation.

Another window smashed to the right slightly behind him, and he spared a glance and cursed at the sight. He needed Amelie to start shooting and he needed it now. A laugh came from the group of newcomers.

"Oh, dear. Talon isn't going to be happy about the mess you're causing, sweetie".

Gabriel growled, re-aiming both shotguns at the group to his left to finish them off quickly so he could switch focus to the new group without leaving him open.

"Liao," he acknowledged.

**Author's Note:**

> The cavalry which hasn't arrived is probably just Tracer and Mercy. Everyone else is asleep, brainwashed, or busy having a drunken bar fight.
> 
> Anyways, thanks so much for reading! Tell me if you want to see more, and I'll see what I can do (or tell me if you don't, and I'll see what I can do about that too :P)


End file.
